Benjamin stared at the door as he listened to Steph's words and he turned to Mike when she was finished. "What happened?"

"She came to me," Mike began the explanation, "because she wanted to talk and she said she didn't know how to convince she was good. Before I could say anything Stuart joined us and demanded her to release you from her influence and then he reminded me that Succubi are masters of manipulation and deception. When Steph turned to me again she ended with the question if I thought she was a monster. I told her I didn't, but that she is a demon. And that I was worried about you, because Succubi are known to be dangerous and I hadn't seen any evidence about a good one yet. That's when she left."

"Damn..." At least he understood where all this came from now, but Benjamin didn't like what he had heard. "What do we do?" he asked as he looked at Mike, who remained silent. "What do I do? You've been through this, what can I do?"

"You can try telling her you love her and that she didn't manipulate you, but she won't believe that," he said softly, with his back to the door, so Steph would most likely not hear it. "Her own depressing thoughts sound more truthful than what any of us can say and there is no arguing against that dark voice in her head. Just be there for her, don't try to convince her with words, show you care with actions. And don't leave her locked up in her room. It's an echo-chamber now. She will only get more convinced she is right and get more depressed and might try to harm herself or try... to end it." He choked up and looked away.

"Are you okay?" Benjamin asked.

"Of course not," Mike replied. "I almost lost my girlfriend this way." He turned to Harriet. "I'd try to break through the door if it was me, because I know what my girlfried would do if she was left alone in a state like this, but I don't know Steph that well and I don't know what works best for her. And since I'm part of the problem, I can't help anyway. It's up to you two."

Benjamin turned to Harriet. "Do we barge in?" he asked her.

[hr]

Agent Morrison looked at Jase and thought about the question. This was not something to take lightly. "I can only tell them what I saw during this mission: that you were in control of yourself and that I wasn't in any danger. And if they want me to extrapolate and assess your level of threat, I'd place you at a low-level threat in the level-4 beast category. You're too strong to be classed as a lower level beast." As he said it he realised Jase probably wouldn't like being called a beast, but he couldn't help it those were the official terms for creatures like him. "I mean, no offence," he added, "but that is how I would have to report it."